COUNCIL REPORT - VIEW ROYAL PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING LOAN AUTHORIZATION BYLAW NO. 826, 2012 – CERTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS RESULT

VIEW ROYAL PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING LOAN AUTHORIZATION BYLAW NO. 826, 2012 – CERTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS RESULT

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Council receive the document titled “Determination and Certification by Corporate Officer of Result Regarding the Alternative Approval Process for View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012”;

AND THAT Council seek approval of the electors with regard to View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012 in autumn 2012 by means of assent of electors in accordance with section 85 of the Community Charter.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE’S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To present the certified result for the alternative approval process undertaken for Bylaw No. 826, 2012 and to propose the assent of electors process in autumn 2012 with respect to approval of the electors for this Bylaw.

TIME CRITICAL:

The 2012 Strategic Plan includes proceeding with the replacement of the Town’s public safety building as a critical initiative in large part due to its deteriorated conditions vis a vis safety, health and seismic considerations.

BACKGROUND:

Accordingly, at its May 1, 2012 meeting, Council gave three readings to View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012 and directed that an alternative approval process (AAP) be undertaken. Council established July 11 at 4 p.m. as the deadline for receipt of elector response forms, the elector response form itself, and the total number of eligible electors for which the alternative approval process applied at 7,698.

Official notices ran in the Goldstream Gazette on May 25 and 30, 2012 and information has been available at Town Hall as well as on the Town’s website and a project-specific website since the publication of the first official notice.

DISCUSSION:

Attached please find the result of the AAP titled “Determination and Certification by Corporate Officer of Result Regarding the Alternative Approval Process for View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012” (see Attachment “A”).

As noted in this attachment, 1,300 elector response forms were received by the deadline. Pursuant to section 86 (1) of the Community Charter, approval of the electors by the AAP has not been obtained and Council can therefore not proceed with the adoption of Bylaw No. 826.

OPTIONS:

1. Council could choose to do nothing and simply not proceed with the project at this time.
2. Council could choose to seek elector approval by means of assent of electors (formally termed “referendum”).

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

Under Option 1, there could be some minor consulting costs to close out the design drawings work.

With Option 2, there could be costs in the range of $25,000 to $30,000 as the process is run in accordance with the “Other Voting” requirements set out in the Local Government Act (similar process, and therefore costs, to the general local government elections that are held every three years).

ANALYSIS:

Based on feedback received over the past several weeks during the AAP, the general sentiment heard in Town Hall and through the media – even from those actively canvassing against the AAP – was that electors are not opposed to the construction of a new public safety building.

Electors have expressed an understanding for the sub-standard conditions of the existing fire hall that include:

• evidence of mould and asbestos;
• raw sewage leaks on apparatus floor due to deteriorating pipe conditions;
• non-existent and/or inadequate HVAC system;
• substantial structural deterioration which has resulted in a compromised exterior wall system;
• general building fabric failure;
• no areas for volunteer firefighter training as per WorkSafe BC requirements; and
• an inability to withstand an earthquake.

During the AAP, electors noted a desire to see previously presented information at a fourth public open house that describes the various options that were considered and that helped shape the proposed facility’s space allocation and configuration. As well there was a desire conveyed that the assent of electors process be utilized as a means to borrow the required funds to replace the existing building.

Staff recommend that Council seek elector approval with regard to View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012 in autumn 2012 by means of assent of electors as described in section 85 of the Community Charter in order to proceed with a project that was initiated in the mid-1990s.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Council receive the document titled “Determination and Certification by Corporate Officer of Result Regarding the Alternative Approval Process for View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012”;

AND THAT Council seek approval of the electors with regard to View Royal Public Safety Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 826, 2012 in autumn 2012 by means of assent of electors in accordance with section 85 of the Community Charter.

SUBMITTED BY: S. Jones, Director of Corporate Administration

REVIEWED BY: K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer